Suspected Al-Shabaab kill Mandera police reservist in attack on mast

Suspected Al-Shabaab militants have killed a police reservist in Mandera County in an attack seen have been targeting to destroy a communications mast.

The Sunday 3am incident was carried out by a group of about 10 heavily armed militants, according to Lafey Deputy County Commissioner John Marete.

“We have lost a police reservist this morning in an incident at Warankara Township. The attackers hauled two rocket propelled grenades at the mast resulting into a gun battle with police reservists guarding the mast,” said Mr Marete.

The reservist was hit by bullets during the battle to repulse the attackers.

ATTACKERS REPULSED

Mr Marete said the reservists managed to repulse the attackers after an intense gun battle that lasted for about a half an hour.

According to the DCC, the reservists managed to injure one of the militants who died a kilometre from the scene of attack.

“One of the attackers was injured in the incident and his colleagues tried carrying him away but left him about a kilometre from the scene where he was found dead,” Mr Marete said.

During the incident, a boy aged about 10 suffered a gunshot wound in the hip.

“This boy was hit by the bullet while in their family house at Warankara Township but he is in stable condition,” the Lafey DCC said.

TRACK ATTACKERS

Mr Marete said security surveillance has been increased in the area to track the attackers believed to be hiding within.

“We are suspecting these attackers have not crossed into Somalia but hiding in the Daua Duba hills within Lafey Sub-County and we shall be smoking them out,” he said.

He added that local security teams were awaiting a plane from Nairobi to facilitate aerial surveillance in the dense Daua Duba area.

In the recent past, increased movements of the Al-Shabaab militants have been reported in the areas in Mandera bordering Somalia.